- Date Of Death: February 17, 2017
- State: Indiana
Jantina “Tina” van Eyk, 93, of Elkhart, was escorted into her eternal homeland by her faithful Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, Feb. 17. Tina was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, Sept. 11, 1923, to the late Eibertus and Maria (Mensink) van der Kolk. On April, 25, 1951, she married her loving husband, Hans van Eyk in Utrecht. He preceded her in death.
Surviving are sons, Marten (Dianne) van Eyk of Jenison, Mich., Bert (Nancy) van Eyk of Elkhart and Hans (Carla) van Eyk of Noblesville; daughter, Mariejan (Todd) Goss of Elkhart; 12 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
A sister, Berndina (van der Kolk) ten Hove, sister-in-law Alida (van Eyk) van Beek and a host of nieces and nephews also survive in the Netherlands and America. Preceding her in death were sisters Maria (van der Kolk) Schadee Bol Voskuil and Engeltje (van der Kolk) De Heus Mulder.
By God’s grace, Tina discovered her need for deliverance from sin through Jesus Christ. That deliverance gave her an intense desire to live the rest of her life on Earth with gratitude and hope, trusting in her Creator no matter what the circumstance.
Tina was not afraid to share her faith, confirming God’s goodness to all who heard her story, from her children to school, church and civic groups. Tina was a natural storyteller and historian. She could immerse anyone into her world: as a child in the Depression; as a teenager enduring oppressive Nazi rule, constant fear and hunger throughout World War II; and during her frantic effort to meet a near-impossible application deadline to immigrate to America.
In 1957, Tina and her family came to America. Initially arriving in Bremen, through the sponsorship of Gilgian “Gip” and Verda Birkey, with the support of their church community, she settled permanently in Elkhart. She eventually attained U.S. citizenship. With no prior knowledge of the English language, she worked fervently to learn it, but was equally passionate in teaching her children Dutch.
She worked tirelessly to make her children successful in the American Dream. She cultivated in them her love for music, having herself sung in choir concerts in the Utrecht cathedrals. Tina often spoke of her immigration experience as a foreshadowing of the promised transition to an even greater heavenly homeland for all who trust in Jesus Christ. To her family, Tina was the face of Jesus by her close relationship with Him. The prayers she offered daily for each child, and later their families, continue to inspire them. All who remember Tina can testify that God lovingly honored her prayer for herself, as taken from Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”
